17 February 2024 , 00:00
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Las Vegas Raiders' starting quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, has been suspended for two games by the NFL for breaking the rules on Performance Enhancing Substances. The team is expected to follow the news by releasing the former New England Patriots and San Francisco QB.
Garoppolo will miss the first two games of the 2024 season after a recent drugs test came back positive and it seems the team have decided to part ways with him just a year after signing him to a three-year deal.
The former Super Bowl winner is thought to have used a certain prescribed medication without having the right permission.
Last season, Garoppolo missed several games due to injury before battling for his place with rookie Aidan O'Connell. Now, it appears the team have decided to move on from Garoppolo who will become an experienced veteran on the open market.
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The Raiders signed Garoppolo to a three-year, £57million deal in March 2023, but he now faces the prospect of being cut less than a year later.
This means the Raiders will have to swallow almost £40million of that deal - with £33million counting against their salary cap over the next two seasons.
O'Connell is now likely to be given a chance at the starting job, after an impressive rookie season. The former Purdue starter threw for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions, in 10 games as a starter - with new head coach Antonio Pierce clearly favouring him over Garoppolo.
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Jimmy Garoppolo will now look for his third team in three years ((Photo by Sam Morris/Getty Images))Las Vegas might also join the upcoming NFL Draft scramble for a quarterback, with up to six prospects possibly being picked in the first round. These include Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr and JJ McCarthy.
Garoppolo will be looking for his third team in three years as he heads into the 2024 season. He was let go by both the San Francisco 49ers and had hoped to find a hope with the Raiders after being replaced by O'Connell.
Finding a job as a starting quarterback may now be tough for 'Jimmy G', as most teams are set at the position or likely to look at the draft for their new star. One possibility could be a return to the New England Patriots, the team who originally drafted him.
Garoppolo was once seen as the successor to Tom Brady, but got tired of waiting for Brady to retire and was traded to the 49ers in 2017.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
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